Risk assessments will be conducted in different ways depending on the industry and company. However, there are some general, basic steps that should be part of every company’s workplace risk assessment procedure.
This guidance follows the Health and Safety Executive's guiding principles and best practice regarding Risk Assessments.
For guidance on creating and managing Risk Assessments using our Health & Safety Management System, try the below resources:
How To Create a Risk Assessment in the HSM System
Risk Assessment How-To Video
Book a Free Webinar with our Client Engagement Team
1. Identify the Hazards
Examine your workplace and activities to identify hazards that are present to staff. Some hazards may be easy to identify and others may require some assistance from other professionals that are more familiar with the task.
You will want to observe employees completing their daily tasks in order to identify additional risks and to see if there could be an easier way for them to complete tasks.
It’s important to engage with your employees while conducting the risk assessment as they are the ones who will have the best feedback regarding issues or hazards that may not be as obvious to you, and bear in mind the following:
- A risk is the likelihood that damage, loss or injury will be caused by a hazard and how severe it may be.
- A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm (electricity, hazardous substances and noise)
2. Decide who can be harmed and how
Understand who would be affected by the risks and hazards you identified in your search. To see the bigger picture, give consideration to groups outside of your workplace that might be harmed if corrective action is not taken.
Document the ways that they could be harmed if control measures are not put in place and review the list with your employees to see if there is anything else they have to add.
The HSE provides some examples of groups that could be harmed:
- Members of the public – consumers, people in nearby neighbourhoods, etc.
- People who are not in the workplace every day – contractors, cleaners, visitors, etc.
- Various types of employees – new employees, expectant mothers, those with disabilities all face different types of risks in the workplace.
3. Decide on control measures
Identify how you manage the risks at present and what further steps might be required to reduce the risks further.
The HSE suggests asking yourself these two questions and recording the steps you will need to take to answer them:
- Can we eliminate of the hazard altogether?
- If not, how can I control the risks so that harm is unlikely?
When deciding on control measures, utilise the Hierarchy of Controls to ensure a consistent application of control measures.
4. Record and implement the findings
Documenting the risk assessment with the identification of the hazards and associated control measures is required as well as communicating the risk assessment to those at risk. Evidence of this activity is not only best practice, but a useful claims defensibility mechanism.
It might also be a good time to provide some additional training regarding any changes to procedures, updates to your health and safety policy and to provide a “refresher” session to employees in the form of a toolbox talk.
5. Monitor and review your assessments and update if necessary
Regular monitoring of of risk assessments is one way of evidencing that control measures that are in place when the risk assessment was created, are in place on a regular basis.
As workplace activities often change, in order to remain current with policies and procedures, it is important assess these areas when implemented into your workplace to reduce risk by reviewing risk assessments.
If you would like to discuss developing the risk assessments in your organisation, contact our Client Engagement Team on 0800 979 9981 or email info@bcarm.co.uk